Short Man Syndrome does exist, say boffins

Scientists have proven that ‘short man syndrome’ does exist. Jon Harry asked some famous ‘vertically challenged’ types whether they ever over-compensate for their lack of height – from James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers to Danny DeVito...

Scientists have proven that ‘short man syndrome’ does exist. Jon Harry asked some famous ‘vertically challenged’ types whether they ever over-compensate for their lack of height – from James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preachers to Danny DeVito...

THE list of short, gifted and Welsh male celebrities is extensive – and includes the likes of James Dean Bradfield, Kelly Jones, Craig Bellamy and, of course, Grand Slam dynamo Shane Williams.

But while they have reached the heights in their individual professions and are heroes to millions of fans, scientists have lumped them together as victims of a syndrome.

According to a new report, boffins at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have proved the existence of short man syndrome, which they say was behind the bolshie behaviour of the likes of Napoleon, Mussolini and 5th-Century bad-boy Attila The Hun.

They claim that the “shorties” – classed as under 5ft 7in – are jealous lovers, if they manage to find a partner at all, and can be perceived as snappy, aggressive and tenacious.

And the findings are also supposed to show that men lacking in height are more prone to sexual jealousy.

The research was based on interviews with 100 men and 100 women, who were asked how jealous they were in their current relationships, and how interested their partners were in members of the opposite sex.

Another survey undertaken by the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies in Paris says short men are unlucky in love when they’re younger.

But it’s not all bad news – the little fellas often go on to form stronger, longer-lasting relationships later in life.

Study author Nicolas Herpin said: “Having remained single for longer means short men have acquired maturity when forming a binding relationship.

“They have shown they are harder workers and therefore look like reliable providers; to sum up, they are in a position to compensate for their physical handicap.”

Manic Street Preachers star Bradfield admits he has a novel way of dealing with his height.

When choosing support bands for their tours, he keeps an eye on how tall the lead singers are before inviting them on the road.

“We had The Enemy on the last tour because there’s a strange kind of symmetry between us and them,” he said.

“I loved the fact they were so young, and that they come from an unfashionable place, but mainly they’re all short.

“With a Napoleon complex like mine, I have to have a few shorties around to empathise with.”

Meanwhile, Stereophonics singer Jones won’t be too worried about his success with the opposite sex.

He recently finished in the top 10 of a poll of the sexiest pint-sized celebrities.

Perhaps the most famous shorty of them all is Tom Cruise, who stands at 5ft 7in and apparently has his own connection with Wales.

The 41-year-old star of Top Gun and The Last Samurai was told on an American TV show that his great-great grandfather had emigrated from Flint in North Wales in 1850.

Cruise’s real name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, and he is said to be descended from many generations of Mapothers living in Wales.

It’s long been rumoured the pin-up wears built-up shoes and is conscious of who he stands next to in photographs – his new wife Katie Holmes is around two inches taller.

He doesn’t talk about his diminutive size, but that hasn’t stopped people having a sly dig. After he split from second wife Nicole Kidman, she quipped: “I can wear heels now.”

Elsewhere, though, there are little big men who are quite happy to parade their height.

Danny DeVito, the five-foot- nothing star of Twins, Man On The Moon and LA Confidential, is also a successful film producer, and has been married to Rhea ‘Carla from Cheers’ Perlman since 1982. He wouldn’t change a thing about his height, or lack of it.

“Everybody still talks about my height,” he says.

“They’re never going to stop commenting. I think it’s great, they call me the little big man or the dynamic dwarf. I don’t get offended at all, it would be crazy to be offended.

“It can only be an asset to be a bit different. In movie roles, I’d rather be the guy who gets to wear the cape and annoy Batman than the one who has to be nice to girls.”

And Michael J Fox, another actor not phased by his small physical stature, says: “If I were overweight because I ate too much, I would have far more of a complex.

“I would know if I just stopped eating and showed a little discipline I would be thin.

“But there’s not a hell of a lot I can do about being short. You just gotta run with it.”

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